10/11/2016 DrugDependence:TreatmentOverIncarceration|RAND

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FFCTIVOLUTION.

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COMMNTARY (CriminalLaw&JuticeWeekl) Octoer3,2016

DrugDependence:TreatmentOverIncarceration
PhotoChriRan/GettImage

MatthewDavie,mmaDile,KritKruithof

rugdependencehaignificantdirectandindirectcotto

D ocieteondtheimpactonindividual.Theuropean
MonitoringCentreforDrugandDrugAddictionetimate
thatin2010alone,etween3.7illionto5.9illion(PDF)of
Topic
Crime
DrugCourt
pulicmonewapentondrug-lawoffenderinprioninurope. DrugPolicand
Thifiguredoenotincludethecotofcriminaljuticereponeto Trend
uropeanUnion
drug-uingoffenderwhohaveeenconvictedofothercrimethat
Recidivim
MatthewDavie mahaveeenmotivatedinpartdrug-dependenc. entencing
AociateAnalt
Drugdependencecanaloinflictignificantcotonhealthcare,with
cleardetrimentallink(PDF)toHIV,mentalhealthdiorder,
overdoe,roadaccidentanddometicviolence,tonameafew.

Inaddition,evidenceuggetthattraditionalcriminaljutice
reponefordrug-uingoffender,uchaimprionment,havelimited
impactoncrimereduction.Inlinewiththi,theRoalocietfor
PulicHealthandFacultofPulicHealthintheUKhaveadvocated
mmaDile
Aociate forahiftawafromtraditionalcriminaljuticereponetoward
ReearchGroup drugtoaharm-reductionapproachledthehealthtem.

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10/11/2016 DrugDependence:TreatmentOverIncarceration|RAND

Director,RAND Depitethiaertion,thecriminaljuticetemimplementarange
urope ofreponethataimtoreducedrugueandmitigateomeofit
harm.RANDuroperecentlundertookatudtoidentiftherange
ofmeaureavailaleforapplicationtodruguerincriminaljutice
temacrotheuropeanUnionthathadomerehailitative
elementorthatcontitutedanon-intervention,uchadecidingnotto
chargeorproecute.

ThetudfoundthateverUmemertatehaatleatonetpeof
KritKruithof entenceorreponefordruguerthatcouldedecriedaan
Analt
alternativetoimpleimprionment.Thirteendifferenttpeof
anctionwereidentifiedacroall28memertateatthreedifferent
tageofthecriminaljuticetemthepre-arrettage(ucha
toppingdruguerfromenteringthecriminaljuticetem),during
thecourtproce,andduringtheentence(uchadrugtreatment
alongideaprionentence).Themajoritofalternativeanction
wereofferedduringthecourtproceandtheentence.

Depitetheavailailitofalternativeanctionacromemertate,
thewerenotallcommonlued.Theueofalternativeanction
appearedtoeinfluencedindividualelief(uchaviewaout
theenefitoftreatmentoverincarceration)oftheproecutor,judge
andotherreponileforimpoingentence.Thoewhoimpoed
anctionometimecitedalackofawareneorknowledgeaout
certainalternative,whichendedupretrictingtheirue.Practicaland
adminitrativefactorwerealoreportedtolimitueofalternative
anction,includingtheavailailitoffinancialreourcetofund
alternative.Inaddition,apaucitofappropriatefeedackonthe
deliverofalternativetreatmentandanctionmeantthatthoe
impoingthemmalackconfidenceintheirqualitandeffectivene,
accordingtoourreearch.

Theefindinguggetthatifmemertatewantedtoincreaethe
ueofalternativeanction,theneffortirequiredtoimprove:1)the
knowledgeofpolice,proecutorandjudgeaoutwhatanctionare
availale;2)evidenceontheireffectivene;and,3)feedackand
informationexchangeetweenthoeimpoingtheentenceandthoe
uperviingthem.

Theethreeareaofpotentialimprovementhighlighttheimportant
roleofdatacollectionandevidenceintheimplementationof
alternativeanction.Depiteomeevidencethathowanctioncan
reducereoffendinganddrugue,overallevidenceoftheireffectivene
iweak.Morequalitreearchiparticularlneededonthe
effectiveneoftherangeofalternativeanctioninauropean
context,incemuchoftheexitingreearchontheujectifromthe
Unitedtate.

Improvingthequalitofmonitoringdataroutinelcollected
memertatecouldhelpdeveloptheevidenceae.Thequalitof
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10/11/2016 DrugDependence:TreatmentOverIncarceration|RAND

futurereearchidependentontheavailailitofthiinformation,a
wellacomplianceandcompletionraterelatedtothealternative
anctionandtreatment.Furtherreearchintotheeffectiveneof
alternativeanction,uingrandomiedoratleatquai-experimental
tudie,wouldaloprovidemoreolidgroundingforpolic-and
deciion-makerreponileforenuringappropriatealternativeto
prionareavailaleandued.

Inthegloalreponetotacklingdrugdependence,alternative
anctionwillplaanimportantroleinreducingthedirectandindirect
cotaociatedwithdrugaue.Theeanctionarenowfairl
widepreadacrouropeutappeartoeunderued,aauthoritie
areunureaouttheireffectiveneintacklingcrimeandreducing
cot.Tohelpalternativeanctionecomemoremaintream,more
qualitdataandreearchineeded.

MatthewDavieianaociateanalt,mmaDileianaociate
reearchgroupdirectorandKritKruithofiananaltatRAND
urope.achworkedonthexaminingAlternativetoCoercive
anctionforDrugLawOffenceandDrug-RelatedCrimetud.

ThicommentaroriginallappearedonCriminalLaw&Jutice
WeeklonOctoer1,2016.

RLATDROURC

Journal Article

PROJCT
JOURNALARTICL JOURNALARTICL
xaminingAlternativetoCoercive
anctionforDrugLawOffenceand tudonAlternativetoCoercive MaricopaCount'DrugC
Drug-RelatedCrime anctionaReponetoDrugLaw InnovativeProgramforF
ep12,2016
OffenceandDrug-RelatedCrime: DrugOffenderonProa
FinalReport Fe25,2016|lizaethDeche
ep8,2016 Greenwood

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10/11/2016 DrugDependence:TreatmentOverIncarceration|RAND

ABOUT
TheRANDCorporationiareearchorganizationthatdevelopolutiontopulicpolicchallengetohelpmakecommunitiethroughoutthe
worldaferandmoreecure,healthierandmoreproperou.RANDinonprofit,nonpartian,andcommittedtothepulicinteret.

1776Maintreet
antaMonica,California90401-3208
RANDiaregiteredtrademark.Copright1994-2016RANDCorporation.

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